Rather than competing, we believe in practising the best methodologies and strategies, says MD HIMCOM

It is important for students of any mass communication college to stay updated with the latest happenings in the world. In fact, it is not the sole responsibility of students and the institutes must also work equally to enhance students ability and skills. Delhi based Journalism and Mass Communication Institute, Heritage Institute of Management and Communication is one such institute that focuses on the holistic development of the students rather than just completion of the course curriculum. In a conversation with Shiksha.com, Managing Director of HIMCOM, Syed Masood talks in detail about their teaching methodology to prepare students for a better tomorrow.

Read the excerpts of the interview below:

Q: What are the three things that your institute is doing that will enable it to differentiate itself from competition?

A: Rather than competing with others, we believe in practising the best methodologies and strategies to keep our students knowledgeable, practical, and readily employable. Our three focal areas are:

• Annual curriculum review to ensure that we are at par with the industry requirements.
• Continuous feedback on teaching from profit and non-profit making media houses to keep pace with external trends in the field.
• Optimum use of IT resources to update and enhance the institute’s knowledge base.

Q: What are the top three initiatives undertaken by you that are helping your students become more industry ready?

A: Harnessing innovations is one of the key objectives at HIMCOM, especially in these three areas -teaching methodology, training & development, and research. We leverage holistic learning through educational tours, outdoor shoots, parliament visits, and live interviews of parliamentarians, celebrities, and public figures. Fundamentals are taught in such a way that students become more confident and field-ready after every new lesson.

Also, students take frequent lectures to hone their computer and language skills in labs and social classes. The live studio exposure is another remarkable feature to improve students’ presentation skills. And, in all the media and journalism courses at HIMCOM, industry experts conduct interactive training programmes to accentuate the students’ personality.

Media is the field where achievements do not come without a sound knowledge bank, hardcore ground research and deft technical skills. Whether it is videography, anchoring, editing or reporting – everything is interconnected and, of course, everything requires research. Students receive proper training in elementary research methodologies and work upon live projects along with case histories to keep them updated about the latest trends and practices. This way, we enable them to confidently build their own industry-ready portfolio.

Q: What are the key attributes that a student should have in order to

1. Qualify for your institution
2. Get top grades in your institution

A: The most sought-after attribute is the willingness to learn about media and journalism. Besides, they should be good at General Awareness, Social Dynamics, Social History, Public Debates knowledge, International Affairs, Current Affairs, Analytical Reasoning, Data Interpretation, Language Proficiency, and Comprehensions.

To score well in exams, they must attend the classes regularly, actively participate in group assignments, extract the very best from the training programmes, and must follow the suggestions for their teachers and mentors.

Q: Which programme/s would you say is/are your best? What is it that helps your institution differentiate itself for this programme?

A: Every programme has its own merits and is designed to meet a certain purpose. Mass Communication and journalism are very vast fields and everything cannot be covered in a single course. That’s why in the light of the current needs of the industry, we have created many specialised programmes which help students to choose a niche area as per their career objectives. Whatever be the course, we empower their learning with advanced training and practical exposure.

HIMCOM campus is equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure and ergonomics to impeccably meet with the changing demands of the mass media. All of our students can access to a highly advanced studio, ultramodern editing laboratory, avant-garde radio studio, cutting-edge photography equipment, and a well-managed library provide excellent support to students for honing their skills in indoor as well as outdoor journalism. Further, the Digital Media Lab of HIMCOM is an ideal platform to train every student about the various dynamics of new media and helping them to grow in the industry rather fulgently.

Q: What are you doing to improve/drive better campus placements for your current students and alumni? What kind of jobs routinely come to campus? What would you say are the key recruitment trends for your college (observed over the past five years)?

A: The institute has a highly active and effective placement cell, which organises regular seminars, pre-placement sessions, and campus interviews. There is a dedicated team of seasoned trainers who guide students on strategies to qualify every stage of the placement process with much ease. We have an excellent placement record so far because we are good at anticipating demands in the Indian media & entertainment industry. Our placement cell essentially works as an interface between media headhunters and its students. We have a widespread network in the industry to position our students in their preferred areas. Many TV channels, Production houses, Newspapers, Magazines, and Websites frequently visit our college for hiring purposes. Besides, thousands of our alumni who are working on prestigious positions across the country often contact us to absorb the talent we nurture.